Learning a New Language

Outline

Title "Learning a New Language"

ESSAY TOPIC: OPTION 1

I. Introduction

II. Reasons for learning a new language

III. Problems of language barrier

IV. Benefits of understanding a foreign language

V. Methods of learning the new language

A. Listening to conversations

B. Pronunciations

C. Accents

D. Sentence

VI. Conclusion

Reference List

Learning a New Language

Moving out to a new geographical area can be very exciting because it provides one with an opportunity to experience new cultures, but on the other hand it can be difficult to cope with the new environment especially when the language of that region is not familiar to you. This paper explains the possible challenges and the steps to follow while learning the new language.

When one relocates to a new region, either for business or other reasons it is important to learn the language of the local people because they are the ones who can be consulted when one needs to know something like directions. Besides, if you have moved into the new location for business purposes it would be better if you spoke to the local people in their language because that way you will understand each other. This is because there are very few people who understand international languages like English and French, hence even if you speak international language in your office you need to learn how to speak the local language because you need to learn how to converse in the local language because it will ease communication. Again before one learns a new language he/she needs to identify if there are other languages in that location and identify the one that is commonly spoken (Yule, 2010).

Moreover, it will be easier for the locals to accept you when you speak in their language. McNeil (2004) explains that some communities tend to be hostile towards people who don't speak their language, hence if you are establishing a business in a new location some people may not buy your goods and services because you cannot communicate effectively. For instance, it might be difficult for an individual from Japan to converse with people from another country, such as South Africa. Because of differences in cultures it is difficult to understand the correct words used in conversation; a person might have some idea about the language but putting words together can be difficult.

Learning the new language is not only healthy for your business but also for your safety because you need to know what people are reacting to situations and unless you understand the local language you won't be updated on the local events. For instance, my friend Joel was in Rwanda before the genocide took place and prior to the killings he was given a hint by one of the local people and later on flew out of the country. If he did not interact with the locals he would have been caught up in the mayhem because no one would have bothered to brief him.

In this regard, when you first set your feet in the new location you need to identify people among that community who can help you to learn their language. In addition to that you need to mingle with the local people and listen to their conversations and see what you can grasp. Bower (2006) explains that the time taken to understand the new language depends on your eagerness and commitment. You need to repeat the common phrases when you are alone and ask for their meanings later on. Repeat as many times as possible and ensure your spellings are correct. The spellings can be confirmed by consulting the native speakers of the new language. Consulting anyone who comes across can be misleading because some of them are not pure speakers. This is also another challenge when trying to grasp important points.

When learning a new language it is important to choose whether you want to know how to write or speak in that particular language but most people prefer to learn how to speak in the new language. The first thing towards learning a new language is to get the pronunciations right. You need to listen to the local people carefully while they are conversing in order to get the exact pronunciation. You can then repeat the pronunciations